Tank valve



J. HARRIS TANK VALVE Jan, 20'.` 1925,

Filed Dec. 1, 1920 Zhi/fiar iff/sr Cil Patented Jan. 20, 1925n 'IFT FFICE.

JOHN HARRIS, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

f TANK VALVE.

Application filed December 1, 1920. Serial No. 427,517.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, JOI-IN HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county oi Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usetul lmprovement in Tank `Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

rlhis invention relates to valves that are employed with tanks or cylinders for high pressure gases and to the cooperating mechanism for opening said valves and tor regulating the pressure et the gases discharged therethrough. instances of such gases are carbon dioide, nitrogen, oxygen and acetylene. These tanks or cylinders are used in connection with regulators, and are each provided with a valve which is adapted for connection with such regulators. These valves, as usually constructedand installed, comprise each a valve iitting which is threaded into the top of a tank and is provided with one or more threaded extensions tor connection with the regulator; also with a valve operating stem having an exposed handle for opening its valve. ln order to prevent injury to the threaded portions and to make it inconvenient to open the valves while the tanks are in transit, the tops of the tanks are provided each with an externally threaded spud or seat surrounding the valve and a protecting hood is threaded onto this seat. h

The general purpose and object of my invention is to provide tanks of this character with valves located entirely Within the tank and not readily accessible during shipment of the latter and having no suoli projecting parts as require the use ot such hoods; to so construct the said valves as to enable them to be ronnected to, and cooperate in a most eilicient manner with, valve openingmeans carried by a regulator; and generally to reduce the cost ot production and increase the eiiiciency and convenience oi operation or' valves of this character. I accomplish these objects in and through the construction and arrangement of parts shown 1n the drawings forming a part hereof, wherein Fig. 1 represents a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a high pressure gas cylinder having my valve mechanism coniiected thereto, a regulator being shown in a chamber having an outwardly and upwardly flared or beveled upper portion 7, a`

threaded intermediate portion 8, and a concave lower portion 9. F rom the bottom of the chamber there extends a bore 10 opening at `its lower end into a chamber 11, preferably cylindrical and having its lower end provided with a thread l2 for the reception of a plug 13. ln addition to the bore 10, the body is provided with a bore lsubstantially parallel with the bore 10 and extending from the top ot the body through the shoulder 3 which is provided at the bottom ot the neck 3. rl"his bore is filled with fusible metal, constituting a plug 15, which is adapted to blow out under a predetermined pressure-say 2,900 lbs. and temperature oi not less than 170o F.

Surrounding the lower end ot the boite l() is an annular valve seat 1G and cooperating with said seat is a valve 17, said valve being located in the chamber 11 and having a stem 18, preferably angular in cross section and mounted within the bore 1G. The valve 17 is normally held to its seat by means of a spring 19 interposed between it and the plug 13. The chamber 11 is provided with a plurality ot ports 2() establishing communication with the interior of the cylinder 1 and normally assisting' to seat the valve.

The valve assembly thus tar described may be conveniently applied to the cylinder or tank by screwing the neck 5 into the neck 2, locking the assembly in place in any desired manner. [is a further precaution, a plug not shown may be screwed into the thread. 8 and may 'be locked and seated in place, to prevent any tampering with the valve 17 or its stein 18 when the tank is in shipment. For the purpose ot connecting lUS ltubular body is a connectingA member havs the cylinder or tank and its valve to a regte latorand to provide means for operating the valve 17', the following construction is provided 21 denotes a regulator of any approved design having an internally threaded connection 22; threaded yinto said connection is a T-tting comprising a stem 23 and al body 'z2-il extending transversely vof said stem. The stem of said T is provided 'with a passagewayj25 communicating. at one end with .the appropriateportion ofthe regulator and at its opposite end with avcentral chamber 26. t threaded bore27 extends away from. this chamber` and provides a mounting for a valve `stem 28 which is threaded therein, the said i stem having an operating wheel 29 and` project-ing. through a. stuiiingy box 80.

bestem is reduced and is` provided within tliefchamber 26 with acollar 30 rigidly secured. thereto and adapted to abut against the top otthechamber-to prevent the unscrewing of'said stem; also to prevent,v when seatecl,fleakage through the stutiingbox and the bore 27.

'lhreadedfinto the lower end ot the YT is a. connecting member comprising.generally a tubular body7 3l having` at:its lower end a head 32 conforming ,totheseat termed by .the rounded lower portion 9 of they chamber inf-the valvebody and forming aground joint therewith. Between the upper endy ot the head 32and the-tubular bodySl is a Vs` ioulder Slidably mounted Vupon said inggat its upper end an operating .head 34 sliapedandadapted to receive an appropriate. wrench or tool and being provided belowv such head with a threaded neck 35 cooperating withthe threaded portion8 of the valve-block chamber. i

It. will be understood that, when the cylinder and the vvalve assembly connected therewith are intended to beiused, thefplug (it used) which closes the 4chamber iny the valve body will be.removed,.the head 32 will be applied toitsseat 9, and the parts willbe connected by screwing home thewconnecting member 34,; 35. The lower end of the connecting member abuts against-.the shoulder 33 and forces the head 32 to a firm non-leaking connection withv the concave seat.V Thenby rotating thestem 2S ins the appropriate direction, the valve 17 will `be rnseated and the-gas mayV pass to the Vregulator through the duct comprising the member 3l, chamber 26 and passageway 25,v and its pressure controlled inthe usual manner by i the regulator.

Among the important advantages which are secured by my construction are the following: Y

As The-elimination of exposed threads on he cylinder during shipment. `Where a .plug is not employed in connection with the thread S during shipment, the provision ot the beveled surface 7 protects the said thread `from injury.

B. The elimination of the protecting hood usually employed tor valves ot this character.

C. The elimination of valve stutiing boxes on the tanks or cylinders, and the location ot the valve stem where liability ol unile tentional operation is reduced to a minimum.

D. The location of the valve within the tank and in such manner that thepressure otV thel gas in said tank helps to seat the valve. thus avoiding leakage.

E. The avoidance of leakage in and through the 4connectionsl by which the gas is supplied to the regulator. This avoidance ot leakage is facilitated by the ground joint between the parts 9 and 32; also by means o'li the collar 30 seating about the lower end oi the bore 27, in th'e event there should be leakage through the valve 1.7.

F. Economy ot production.

Having thus described my invention.` what; l claim is:

l. The combination, with a tank, of a valve block connected to said tank an'd having a passageway adapted to con'ununicate at its inner end with said tank, the saidblock having a concave chamber extending from and about theilouter end oit said passageway, a valve cooperating with a seat at theinner endoE said passageway, said valve. havingr a stem projecting upwardly into said pass sage-way, means for normally holding said valve to saidseat, a regulator having a connection-provided with a passageway, said connection comprising a rounded head cooperating with the concave chamber, a connecting member cooperating with' said valve block andisaid head to force the head to its seat, and a valve nnseating member carried by such regulator connection,` and adated to Contact with said valve stem to orce said valve trom its seat.

2.`The combination. with a tank, of a` valve blockmounted in the said tank and having at. its inner portion a chamber' communicating with the interior otl said tank, a passageway extending outwardly from said chamber, an outwardly enlarged chamber communicating with the outer end of said passageway, and having an internal thread therein, a valve mounted in the first chamber and cooperating with a seat surrounding the inner endet the passageway and having a stem mounted in said passageway, a regu lator having a T projecting therefrom,.one of the branches ot` the T having' a chamber therein and the stem ot the T having a passageway leading trom the last named chamber to the regulator` a tubular member threaded into such last named chamber. and

.having at its opposite end a head'coopei ating wit-h the second named chamber, a

sleeve reciprocabiy mounted on the tubular member and having a thread adapted to engage the thread in the valve block, and a stem reciprocably mounted in the opposite branch of said T and cooperating with the valve stein.

3. The combination, with a tank having a neck, of a valve block moutned in said neck, said valve block having a passageway eX- tending inwardly from an outer chamber, the inner end of the passageway having a seat surrounding the same and the valve block having a chamber beyond said seat, the said chamber communicating with the said tank, a valve comprising a body mounted in said last named chamber and adapted to engage said seat and having a stem in said passageway, a spring cooperating with the Huid in the tank to seat said valve, the said outer chamber having a thread for securing thereto a. connecting member for a regulator, and said connecting member having means adapted to extend into said passageway and contact: with said valve stem to unseat said valve.

a. The combination, with a tank, of a valve block secured to said tank and having an outer chamber, said chamber being threaded and having an outwardly beveled portion extending beyond such threaded portion, said block having a passageway oommunicating at its outer end with said chamber and adapted to communicate at its inner end with said tank, and a valve controlling said passageway.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN HARRIS. 

